Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

While I have vowed to never re-post a recipe (with so many still left unmade, why would I?) but I decided to break the rules...just this once, I promise. The reason for this exception is two-fold. First, when I posted it last year it was after Thanksgiving and it went mostly unnoticed because, of course, by that time nobody really wanted to look at another cranberry again for a really long time! Second, and more importantly..it's just that damn good! Roasting the berries and adding port elevates this to the moon! I've made it to go with a basic kind of ho-hum pork roast and it made the entire dinner. And for the part of Thanksgiving dinner I look forward to more than the dinner...the leftover turkey sandwich! These cranberries on said sandwich is out of this world!

If you want to add a wonderful twist to your traditional Thanksgiving dinner this is where you just might be able to get away with it. I still have to put the canned jellied stuff on the table for the less adventurous types...sigh...but maybe this year I'll have some converts more importantly? Leftovers.
 
Recipe: Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

From Saveur Magazine; Issue 115; November 2008
MAKES 2 CUPS

The relish featured here employs a novel technique: cranberries are roasted with orange peel, jalapeño, and spices until their skins burst, to concentrate their flavor and draw out their sweetness and juices; then they're tossed with orange juice and port.

Ingredients

1 orange
1 lb. fresh or thawed cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 green cardamom pods, smashed
4 whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 small jalapeño, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 1⁄2 tbsp. port

Directions
1. Heat oven to 450°. Using a peeler, remove peel from the orange, taking off as little of the white pith as possible. Cut peel into very thin strips about 1 1⁄2" long. Squeeze juice from the orange; strain and reserve 1 tbsp. juice.

2. In a bowl, combine peel, cranberries, sugar, olive oil, salt, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and jalapeños. Toss and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Roast until cranberries begin to burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes.

3. Transfer cranberry mixture to a bowl; stir in reserved orange juice and port. Let sit for at least 1 hour so that the flavors meld. Remove and discard cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon before serving.